Fingernails are kept attractive by periodic manicuring. Part of the manicuring process involves removal of old nail polish and application of new polish. Nail polish is customarily removed by means of nail polish remover solutions which dissolve the old polish. The solution is generally applied by means of a cotton swab, fabric patch, or other porous substance held between one's fingers and rubbed against the old polish.
Manicurists are particularly vulnerable to the deleterious effects of nail polish remover solution. They often sustain skin and nail damage due to continual contact with nail polish remover. A presently known commercially available device includes a container having a tubular liner of sponge rubber. The liner is impregnated with polish remover. In use, the finger tip is inserted in the container, and the finger is rotated in opposite directions relative to the container.
These devices have not been entirely satisfactory because it takes too long to remove the polish. The resulting long exposure of the finger tip to the remover solution causes the skin, cuticle and nail to dry out, and can cause skin irritation. Moreover, these devices are not particularly effective when several coats of polish are present, and they do not effectively remove polish located adjacent the cuticle. As a result, further steps are often required to remove all the polish.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,980,940 and 3,369,553 disclose devices for removing nail polish. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,179,046 and 2,251,551 disclose devices for protecting freshly applied polish from being damaged while drying. U.S. Pat. No. 474,237 discloses a blotting pad adapted to be releasably secured between a person's fingers. U.S. Pat. No. 552,462 discloses a finger mounted moistening device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,624 discloses a scouring pad holder having finger-tip receiving cavities. None of these devices, however, either addresses the problem with which the present invention is concerned or provides a satisfactory solution.